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Softball Splits Day Two of Cathedral City Classic

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. - The Stanford softball team split its two games Friday at the Cathedral City Classic in Palm Springs, Calif. The Cardinal fell to No. 23 Northwestern, 4-0, in its first game of the day, before rebounding with a 4-3 victory over Long Beach State. Stanford is now 10-2 on the season.

Freshman Teagan Gerhart earned the start for the Cardinal. She struck out seven Wildcats, but took the loss to drop to 4-1 on the year.

Northwestern recorded three singles in the first inning to take an early 1-0 lead over the Cardinal before Gerhart registered consecutive strikeouts to end the inning.

Both teams were unable to get any kind of offense going for the next four innings. Then, in the top of the sixth, Northwestern added three more runs to put the game out of reach. It was the first time this season the Cardinal failed to score a run. Stanford was held to just one hit in the game, while the Wildcats finished with six.

In game two, Stanford edged Long Beach State, 4-3, to earn its 10th win of the season. Junior Ashley Chinn started the game in the circle for the Cardinal, throwing 2.1 innings with two strikeouts while giving up two runs. Gerhart entered the game in relief and earned the win after pitching 4.2 innings.

Long Beach State took a 1-0 advantage to start the game, but Stanford answered with two runs in the bottom of the first to take the lead. Haber led off for the Cardinal and drew a walk before Hansen singled to left field to put two runners on base. Freshman Jenna Rich then registered a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. Senior Shannon Koplitz reached on an error by the short stop before Burns reached on a fielder's choice, which scored Haber. Continuing the momentum, Neill doubled to right field, scoring Koplitz.

Stanford increased its lead with another run in the bottom of the second, but Long Beach State would come back to tie the game, scoring runs in the third and fifth innings. Tied at 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth, Hassman singled and then advanced to second on a throwing error by 49er pitcher Taylor Petty. She then advanced to third on a wild pitch, setting up Hansen. The sophomore singled to the pitcher, bringing home Hassman for the winning run.

Stanford still has three games left to play in the Cathedral City Classic. First up, a showdown with No. 24 Texas A&M, Saturday, at 10 a.m.